Gottlieb and Karl Would be Proud - 1979 Mercedes-Benz 240 D

September '07

Feature Article from Hemmings Motor News

A walk around the car corral at the Hudson River Valley Antique Auto association's Annual Car Show & Swap Meet at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York, this past May turned up many interesting cars and trucks for sale, among them this handsome W123-chassis Mercedes-Benz, a 1979 240 D.

Article continues after advertisement

The 240 D was this manufacturer's entry-level sedan for 1979, a basic car in an era when diesel-fueled Mercedes made up more than 70 percent of that company's total U.S. sales. The overhead-cam, five-main-bearing, 2,404cc four-cylinder engine featured prechamber fuel injection and a 21.0:1 compression ratio, and made 62hp at 4,000 rpm and 97-lbs.ft. of torque at 2,400 rpm. A thrifty four-speed manual gearbox was standard (an automatic was optional), and despite the car's relatively svelte 3,010-pound weight, performance was leisurely, with 0-62 mph in roughly 22 seconds and an 86 mph top speed. The tradeoffs were excellent fuel economy, with upwards of 35 mpg on the highway as the norm, and an under-stressed drivetrain with a bulletproof reliability reputation.
The seller of this car, Jonathan Boyce, told us that he purchased the car from California in April, where it had recently left the care of its original owner. He didn't buy the 240 D with the intention to sell it, but put it in the corral on a whim to gauge the level of potential interest. Jonathan noted the discrepancy in selling prices between rusty, high-mileage 240 Ds ($1,000 and under) and creampuff, low-mileage examples (a few have fetched close to $10,000); because he does a lot of driving, he turned down offers of $6,500 and $7,000. Time and fluctuating fuel prices will show the wisdom of that decision.
1979 Mercedes-Benz 240 D
Asking price: $8,500 OBO
Known issues: Minor dents
Seller description: "240 Diesel, 35-40 mpg, 98,495 miles, original manuals and first aid kit, a very solid and nice-driving vehicle."
Why buy?
No rust on a classic body, the engine's barely broken in, dual fuel tanks mean huge range in Germanic comfort.
Original list price: $15,068
Value today
Low: $3,000
Average: $4,500
High: $6,500

This article originally appeared in the September, 2007 issue of Hemmings Motor News.